A Tender Moment
by J.R.Chills
Summary: Oneshot. Goku sent his son out to fight the greatest threat ever known to Earth. Nearly being killed by Cell, Goku stepped back in to save Gohan after reaching Super Saiyan 2. This story follows the moment shared between the two after Cell's defeat as Goku holds his bloodied son in his arms.


Hey guys, it's around 5 am here where I am and I couldn't sleep. I didn't feel like writing Extr. boy today so I just made something little. Hope you like it, also happy December. It'll be Christmas soon!

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He knew sending him out was a bad idea but he didn't see any other way, this is what he trained him for right? This is what the year of scorching days and freezing nights in the time chamber was for...right? Yes, this was the plan the whole time, even if no one else knew it, Gohan was their ace in the hole. But seeing him out there getting pummeled, crying in pain as Cell kicked and squeezed him was more than enough to convince Goku his plan wasn't working.

The utter helplessness he felt as he saw his son violently beaten was terrifying, but fear quickly turned into pure, blinding rage as his parental instincts kicked in and he powered into Super Saiyan 2. This surge of new strength was more than intoxicating, he felt the same need to gloat and mock Cell as he did with Freiza but he controlled his impulses keeping in mind what was at stake. He beat Cell with ease, vaporizing him instantly with a massive kamehameha. It hardly felt like a victory though, because he was already back to focusing on his battered son who laid on the battlefield curled up in a ball and barely conscious.

Goku lifted him up, shifting him until he was cradled in his arms. The little boy he was so accustomed to had grown so much in the past three years. luckily he was just the perfect size to where his father could pretend he was holding his four-year-old once more. He could smell the sweet scent of mint and honey shampoo when he rested his head on his sons. Chi-Chi bought it so often for him, Goku considered it to be just the way Gohans hair smelled. Its familiar scent in his thick sweaty locks of black hair was almost as potent as the stench of the blood that covered the rest of his body. His son's voice was raspy and tired, tears fell from his cheeks.

"I'm sorry daddy, I tried my-"

"Shh, sh. It's ok."

Every deep cut that bled and every bruise shaded deep blue was a reminder that he had nearly handed a death sentence to his own son, the guilt was overwhelming.

_Goddamnit, I'm such an idiot. Giving Cell a senzu bean, What was I thinking? It's not about being fair anymore. It's not a stupid tournament, it's a battle of life and death and I almost sent you to your grave trying to play fair._

"I love you Gohan. I'm so sorry."

He kissed his forehead and saw his son reach out for him as he did when he was a toddler, extending his arms and opening and closing his empty little hands begging to be held.

Eagerly answering his request he sat still and lifted him allowing Gohan to wrap his arms around his neck and his legs around his waist. His sons voice was now no louder than a whisper

"Don't feel bad daddy. It's my fault, you thought I could beat em' but I just wasn't strong enough. I'm sorry I failed you."

Goku tightened the embrace they shared, upset that he couldn't fix the self-doubt that silently crept, following his boy everywhere he went. This was supposed to be his shining moment, the point where the son surpasses the father but instead, it was just another beatdown with his daddy swooping in to save him in the end.

"No, no, no you didn't fail me, you did awesome. I-I"

He struggled to find anything to say that was sure to lift his son's spirits and he could tell his silence was also damaging.

"I don't know what I was thinking, putting you up against someone I couldn't even beat."

He sighed as he heard the quiet sniffling and sobbing, feeling the tears soak his shirt as Gohan cried into it. He cleared his throat and spoke in the softest, kindest voice he could

"When we were in that time chamber I saw something, something amazing, something I never thought possible. Gohan you reached a level far beyond Super Saiyan, even if it was just for an instant. I thought that if I sent you out there-I thought that if you fought him-you would...just...snap."

He stuttered as his guilt grew more and more.

"I put you in an impossible position, either snap or die. It wasn't fair and I feel stupid for even bringing you here. You should have been at home with Chi-Chi where it was safe. All I did was get you hurt."

Closing his eyes he tried to keep his composure as he stroked his son's hair. He felt a small hand wipe away the single tear that had somehow found its way down his face

"You believed in me."

The pause in his son's words filled him with anxiety, he was eager to hear what he had to say

"And you still believe in me, more than anyone else. But in the end, it wasn't me who snapped, it was you."

"I know but I-"

"But nothin'. You sent me out here because you knew you couldn't beat him, but seeing me in that much danger pushed you to the next level. Then you won just like you always do" His son rested his head on his shoulder and squeezed him as tight as he could, confident in the fact his strong grip could never hurt his father "Even when you didn't think you could, you saved me just like you always do." He smiled as he pressed his head against his father's chest.

"I love you daddy. You're always my hero."

The pride and assurance in his words melted his father's heart. He was relieved to see his son hadn't blamed him for nearly killing him but felt his love was misplaced. How could he stand let alone love his father despite his constant absence? How is it possible his son still trusts him to save the day when he's been gone for so much? Sure the past three years, not including the time chamber, he's been there but what about the year he was dead? Or the desperate days on Namek before he arrived? Or the year he chose to spend away from his son on a far distant alien planet just to learn a new technique? What about all the time they could have spent together that they had to use training for the androids? So much time that could have been dedicated to trips to the amusement park, movies, picnics, nimbus rides; it all just seemed so wrong for his son to love him this much despite all of his flaws. He gave a sincere but noticeably sad response

"I love you too. More than anything."

His attempt at sounding convincing missed its mark

"W-What's wrong?"

The quiver in his son's voice made a response imperative. Goku was always honest with him and there was no way he would continue to stress him out after a day like this, he tried to answer quickly.

"I'm sorry Gohan, I just can't help but feel bad."

Nervous energy found its way back into the tired and beaten boy "About what? Sending me to fight Cell? It's fine, really! Honest!"

He chuckled a single short nervous 'heh' struggling to find the words to explain himself. He moved Gohan away from him so he could talk to him face to face. "No, no I mean..." He looked into his son's eyes as he spoke.

"I mean I'm sorry and that I feel bad about everything, all of it. I didn't want any of this for you, I never wanted you to have to fight anybody. A little training here and there would have been great but you should have been studying or playing, Not battling aliens and space tyrants or worrying over a stupid heart virus. I wanted you to grow up running around the yard and exploring the forests, seeing all that this world had to offer you. I just- I don't see how you could love me so much after all I've put you through."

Gohan frowned, it was depressing to hear the man he had always admired for his bravery and dedication to his friends have doubts about his parenting.

"Oh..."

Quickly thinking of a way to try and cheer him up he playfully jumped back into his father's arms and kissed him on his nose

"Well I do, and there's nothin' you can do to stop me!"

Just seeing him smile as he held him was enough to make Goku happier. He knew Gohan wasn't mad at him and loved him dearly but he couldn't really forgive himself for all that had happened. However for this moment, he would make an exception, he would let his guilt slide off him like most of his worries in life. All he wanted to do now was go home, relax and have some dinner with his family.

"Hey, Gohan? You wanna' go home?"

"Yeah! What do you think mom's making for dinner?"

Goku heard both his stomach and Gohans rumble

"I don't know but I'm starving. Let's go get the dragon balls and say goodbye to everybody, then we'll high-tail it outta' here. Sound good?"

Gohan looked up into his father's face which carried his timeless smile.

"Sounds great!"


End file.
